Occupational Medicine & Health Affairs
Open Access

Abstract

Introduction: Children are regarded as the precious gift. There are many couples worldwide as well as in India without children because of infertility with rate of 8% and 12% of primary and secondary infertility respectively worldwide. Though about 20 million children are orphan even then adoption rates are falling in India. Objectives: To assess and compare the knowledge and opinion score regarding adoption among adults of different age groups, to determine relationship between knowledge and opinion regarding adoption among adults and to seek association of knowledge and opinion score regarding adoption with selected variables. Methodology: A quantitative non-experimental research approach with descriptive cross-sectional survey design was used. 200 adults of rural area were selected by quota sampling technique. Structured knowledge questionnaire and Likert scale were used to collect data by interview technique. Findings: Majority (86%) of adults of rural area were having below average knowledge whereas maximum (92.5%) of adults of rural area were having favorable opinion regarding adoption. A weak positive (r=0.309) significant relationship was found between knowledge and opinion scores of adults of rural area. Knowledge scores among adults of rural area were dependent on marital status, duration of marriage (year) if married, education level, occupational status, number of living children, source of information, any child has ever been adopted in relation to your family and opinion score were dependent on education level, family income (per month), source of information, current age of adopted child if any. Conclusion: Adults of rural area were having below average knowledge and favorable opinion regarding adoption. Recommendation: Further research to explore the experience of family members with adopted child and societal issues related to adoption in Indian setting.

Biography

Santosh Kumari is a Graduate Nurse and is currently an MSc Nursing student in Obstetrics and Gynecological Nursing Specialty at Maharishi Markandeshwar University, India. Her research interest includes adoption and infertility.